Published June 26, 2026, 9:04 p.m. EDT
The airline agreed to scrap fees for parents to sit with their children, although Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary blasted regulators for the intervention. Ryanair will “reluctantly” allow parents to sit with their children for free after an investigation into the practice was launched, bringing the airline into compliance with European industry standards.
Previously, Europe largest airline Depending on the number of passengers, a fee (generally $10.70 per ride per adult) is charged to allow up to four children ages 2 to 11 to sit next to an accompanying adult. In the future, families who don’t pay to reserve seats will be assigned random seats together for free after check-in, likely toward the rear of the plane, Reuters reported.
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Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX flying on final approach. On Friday, the budget airline announced it would allow parents to sit with their children for free. (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We will reluctantly adapt to this industry standard because we do not want to waste time explaining to misguided regulators how little they understand what is in the best interests of UK and European consumers,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said in a statement.
THE Based in Ireland The change to the low-cost carrier came after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into whether the original policy breached consumer law.
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Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said the company would “reluctantly adapt to this industry standard”. (Fernando Sánchez/Europa Press via Getty Images / Getty Images)
A CMA spokesperson said the agency will verify whether the new policy complies with the law. While emphasizing that the change would be “a victory for families”, they added that the investigation was still ongoing.
“This does not change the fact that families are paying for ‘mandatory family seats’,” the spokesperson said.
A Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8 airliner lands at Stansted Airport in Essex. (Nicholas T. Ansell/PA Images via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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FOX Business has contacted the CMA for comment.